What is AlertaParques?
A free weather information system for 57 national parks and 73 trails across Chile. A decision-support tool to help you make more informed choices before heading out — not a replacement for your own judgment or local authorities.
Why it exists
This project was born after a tragedy in a Chilean national park that might have been avoided with better weather information available at the right time. Not as certainty — meteorology doesn't offer certainties — but as a clear, timely signal that could have prompted people to stop before setting out.
Researching what tools existed, we arrived at the finding that became the real driver of the project:
"There is no tool — official or otherwise — that consolidates weather information and alert levels specifically for Chile's national parks."
Useful weather sources exist — Chile's Meteorological Directorate, advisories from CONAF and SENAPRED, global apps like Windy or Meteoblue. But none are designed for a hiker who wants to know at a glance, in plain language, whether the Circuit O in Torres del Paine is green, yellow, or red this morning at 8 a.m. AlertaParques was built to fill that gap.
What it does today
Monitors 57 national parks and 73 trails, with alert levels updated every hour.
Produces green / yellow / red alert levels based on wind, gusts, rain, snow, temperature, and visibility.
Classifies each trail by terrain type (standard trail, volcano, highland, altiplano) because the same weather threshold doesn't apply equally in every setting. On volcano ascents, for example, temperature is the primary signal because summit wind readings don't always reflect conditions along the route.
Uses three weather models (ECMWF, GFS, ICON) in higher-uncertainty zones — volcanoes and altiplano — and publishes a confidence level with each alert so that uncertainty is visible, not hidden.
Is transparent about its limitations: alert criteria are publicly documented, past failures are published, and the system is updated when errors are detected. See how we validate our alerts →
Provides a public API for park rangers, third-party apps, or researchers who want access to the same underlying data.
How an alert is generated
On the responsible use of this information
Meteorology is a dynamic science. Numerical weather models work with projections and probabilities, not with certainties. Weather conditions in high mountains and Andean zones can change suddenly — even with the best available technology.
AlertaParques is a decision-support tool, designed to give you more information before heading out. It does not guarantee that real-world conditions will match what the site shows.
We strongly recommend complementing this information with official sources — CONAF, SENAPRED, Dirección Meteorológica de Chile — and with the judgment of local park rangers or guides before making a final decision.
When in doubt, or when obvious risk conditions are present on the ground, your own judgment and the instructions of local authorities always take precedence over what this app shows.
Who it serves
Tourists and visitors
A quick glance at park conditions before you go. No need to interpret complex weather data: green, yellow, or red.
Mountaineers and hikers
Trail-specific information by terrain type: temperature, wind, freezing level, and a projected gust strip for the next several hours.
Professionals and collaborators
Meteorologists, park rangers, and rescue teams: documented criteria, published limitations, and an open API. If you see room for improvement, we want to hear from you.
How it's funded
AlertaParques is a personal project — non-profit and ad-free. Operating costs are currently covered by its creator out of pocket.
There's a voluntary donation button via Ko-fi for anyone who wants to contribute. No pressure: the site will stay free and open regardless. Donations go exclusively toward operating costs.
Goals
Stay free and open
Whatever happens with funding, this information should remain accessible to anyone heading to a Chilean national park.
Professionalize meteorological validation
We actively seek partnerships with meteorologists specializing in Chilean mountain weather and institutions like the DMC or universities to validate and refine alert thresholds by geographic zone.
Explore sustainable funding
Grant-based funding for infrastructure and expansion to more national parks, without compromising the system's independence or turning it into a commercial product.
The ultimate goal
That no avoidable tragedy in Chile's wilderness happens because timely weather information wasn't available. We don't promise AlertaParques will prevent all tragedies — nature is unpredictable — but it will exist and do its best.